How much time do you find yourself fixing and tracing artwork you get from customers? Do you trace bitmaps by hand? If you are in a business that produces logos and artwork on products using technologies such as engraving, sand etching, embroidery, screen printing or...

Old West Tree Slabs are tree logs cut into about 1 inch thick slabs and treated and clear coat finished. They make great decorative pieces, unique awards and thoughtful gifts for anniversaries, birthdays and any occasion as they can be personalized with the laser...

Custom Wood Light Switch Covers are made from 1/8 inch thick wood. They are laser engraved and laser cut to shape. Wood can be either clear sealed or unfinished for those who would like to stain or paint them to match the room colors. They are perfect for kids...

Etched Insulated Mugs Sand etching polished stainless and aluminum, as well as plated metals such as a cake cutter leaves a matte finish which is somewhat subtle, yet very stylish and elegant. Any text or graphic we can get on our computer, we can etch on the mug or...

Many people like to give gifts of personalized glassware for celebrating of a special day, as a "thank you", or recognition of a special contribution. This short article should help you select the best glassware for the purpose. We offer the sand etching...

Eagle's Mark was named as the first Platinum Printovator (TM) by Direct Color Systems in June 2015 In 2014, Eagle's Mark was selected to participate in the Direct Color Systems (DCS) Printovators (TM) program. Utilizing the DCS 1024 UV Direct Print system, Eagle's...

The spring brings the desire to be outdoors and to smell great things cooking on the BBQ. Smokin Beef, pork and salmon are among my favorites using mesquite and hickory for beef and pork and apple wood for salmon. Alder is not bad either. As we offer plaques with full...

We have had many inquiries about vases, bowls, crystal apples and decanters that can be sand etched and are perfect for special personalized gifts, recognition and "thank you" or retirement. Topmost, one of our suppliers has come out with a new line of crystal, called...

“Board Member”. Another title I see people struggle with is the “Chairperson” title as it relates to a woman or wanting to make it gender neutral. “Chair” or “Chairperson” are both gender neutral and acceptable. For name badges, shorter is better. So I prefer...

When writing the text for a recognition piece it can be difficult coming up with words that are new or fresh. There are only so many words to describe the same emotion or feeling. At times, the "right" words are are not the typical ones you would see on many...

Volunteering is not just for the retired, yet many retired people benefit and contribute a great deal. It is a great thing to see young kids volunteering and learning to give something of themselves. Start your children young. Teach them to contribute and help others....

Why a Name Badge In today's world people are cautious about strangers. A name badge is an instant introduction which tells a person who you are and where you work...so you're no longer a stranger. A name badge tells others that you're a professional. At a conference,...

The best place to begin is with definitions for both personalized (personalized gifts)and promotionalized (promotional products) as these are not common words and they can have different meanings then here. Personalized Inscribing a product with the recipient's name...

There is absolutely nothing official about any of these categories. So this article is designed to provide ideas and "food for thought" when planning a parade that will have recognition and trophies for participants. Award categories for parades can vary greatly based...

If you want your new sign to get the results you hope for, follow these simple tips. These tips are primarily focused on large outdoor signs, however, the same basics apply to all signs. Ease on the Eyes - Font Choices The three primary category of font design (text...

What is a Logo? A logo is an identifier used to brand your company, project or event. It is often a combination of text with a graphic. To be effective, it should be simple, easy to recognize and used consistently. Simple is Beautiful What' does Nike, Apple and...

Have you ever had a business logo or other favorite graphic engraved and was disappointed with the results? It may not be the engraver's fault, or at least not entirely their fault. Not every graphic file is equal. My goal with this article is to provide just enough...

I am a big believer in having a thorough marketing plan. This means understanding your products and services and how they match up with your target market niches. I don't believe offering everything in your line of business is a good strategy for most companies...

Designing an Outdoor Sign to Attract Business I have attended quite a few meetings lately involving discussions between businesses and city government regarding the role of outdoor signage in helping businesses stay afloat during these difficult economic times. The...

Sand carving can produce a deep etch, surface frosted or somewhere in between. What looks best depends on the product you are etching and the design being etched. The more delicate the product (thinner crystal for example) and thinner the lines of the design, the...

Custom Mounting Cool & Unusual Objects on Wall Plaques & Wood, Stone or Marble Bases Our favorite projects include mounting objects that are meaningful to the recipient, however odd they may seem, or awkward they may be to mount. Mounting heavy or large...

A Great Fund Raising Idea People who enter cooking and baking contests tend to be creative. So even though a theme or food category may sound boring or rather plain, people can get very creative. Just look at what today's cupcake can taste like. So even jello can...

Why should you know the difference between a bitmap (or raster) file and a vector file. It may not seem like this is an important topic to you, but if you have a business logo or want to have a graphic etched (or engraved), or blown up to a large size, it is important...

All posts contain my own opinions and information I believe was accurate at the time of the post. Techniques and processes work well for me, however, there are other methods and you may find better approaches for yourself. Although I write for the primary purpose of sharing, I may receive compensation for some products I suggest you consider. Products I have links for are products I use in my business have found to be useful and time saving.